AFTER a successful inaugural season, Beach Volleyball Republic, Inc. is already setting its sights on 2016 with a packed tournament calendar.

Former Ateneo women's volleyball star Gretchen Ho, founder of BVR along with past Lady Eagles indoor volleyball players Bea Tan, Dzi Gervacio, Fille Cainglet-Cayetano, and Charo Soriano, shared that a year-long series of beach volleyball events are set to hit eight different provinces to promote the fast-growing sport.

A circuit format will be followed where teams earn points from each leg to qualify for the national finals to be held in Manila, while the circuit ender will be in Boracay on May 1 in time for the Labor Day celebration.

“We are planning to go to different beaches per month,” said Ho.

“Mayroon kaming eight legs na nakahanda. Among those places we have are Cebu, Cagayan, El Nido (Palawan), Cagayan De Oro, Bacolod, and a lot more places and sobrang willing ng mga LGUs (local government units) to work with us,” she added. “We are planning to do that every month with continuity and we are inviting everyone to come and join us.”

Ho stressed that BVR aims to encourage local players to participate in each leg.

“Actually, we are accepting regional players mula dun sa mga pupuntahan naming mga lugar,” said Ho, who added that the top 16 teams after the eight legs will clash for the title and cash prizes in the national finals.

BVR held three major tournaments this year, namely The Queen of the Sands, King and Queen of the Sands, and the recently concluded Christmas Open, which was dominated by the tandem of Tan and Brazilian Rupia Inck on Sunday.

“Talagang binuild up namin itong tournament namin from Queen of the Sands, King and Queen of the Sands. Then we went to Clark, La Union, and Ilocos tapos ito (Christmas Open). We have as a partner ABS-CBN Sports+Action. Definitely, we are very lucky kasi they are very supportive with our advocacy and what we plan to do with beach volleyball,” said Ho.

“It’s so nice to get their support not just in coverage but also in terms on them giving us advice on how we should pull things off.”